Questions travellers actually ask
Short, factual replies without sales talk. Expand any item for the detail.
No. Passports from countries with waiver agreements — 14 to 90 days depending on the treaty — cross the border without any paperwork. Everyone else must obtain an e-visa or an embassy-issued permit before travel.
The published standard is three working days. Around national holidays and the December–February peak, queues grow — apply at least a week before departure to stay safe.
Extension policy shifts with each immigration cycle and is handled by the Immigration Department itself. Many travellers instead make a short border run and re-enter on a fresh permit — verify the current rules before relying on either option.
Overstays are fined at departure — the amount rises with the number of extra days, and repeat offences complicate future entries. Leave on time or legalise your stay before the permit runs out.
Yes. Every passport holder, including minors with their own passport, is documented individually. Children listed in a parent's passport are the exception — check with the issuing authority.
A colour scan of the passport bio page, a portrait photo (4×6 cm, plain background), plus your planned entry date, exit date and arrival checkpoint. Have all of it digital and ready before you open the form.
E-visas are accepted at the main international airports (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc), key land crossings such as Moc Bai and Lao Bao, and major seaports. The official portal lists the full register of eligible checkpoints.
Only if you selected the multiple-entry option when applying. The single-entry version collapses after the first crossing — a second visit requires a new permit.
No. Processing fees are non-refundable whatever the decision, which is why accuracy of the form matters more than speed.
No. Airlines deny boarding without an approved e-visa or a pre-arranged approval letter. There is no walk-up counter that issues permits to arriving tourists.
Not quite. The e-visa is fully digital and issued before departure. "Visa on arrival" needs a pre-approval letter obtained in advance; the physical stamp is then placed at a dedicated airport counter after landing.
The official portal has a lookup form: enter your registration code, email and date of birth, and the current status appears instantly.
Yes — up to 30 days for foreigners arriving directly on the island (including airside transit through another Vietnamese airport), provided Phu Quoc stays your only stop. Leaving the island for the mainland voids the exemption.
Immigration officers check three things at the gate: passport validity of at least 6 months, a permit or a qualifying waiver, and proof you will leave — usually a onward ticket and an accommodation address.